i searched this board for awhile and didn't find the answer to my question - i apologize if i am posting something that has already been discussed but i couldn't find anything quite like what i was seaching for: there are many threads relating to organizers posting feedback from swaps but nothing really for actual swap participants to give feedback on their partners. i noticed that a recent swap partner of mine is currently MIA from a swap right now, so just out of curiosity, i did a random search for her username and there were at least 3 previous swaps that she was either MIA/extremely late without asking for an extension or being flagged as a potential flaker. i know we can't expect organizers to have the time to check each swap participant this way - especially if their profiles don't reflect this info. when i started to have problems with my partner i was in contact with the organizers and while they were very helpful i was disappointed to see that my partner received "positive" as the feedback on her profile for our swap, without any mention of her lateness or the multiple attempts to contact her that went unanswered. i am just wondering if there is a better way to keep track of this kind of participant history...is there some way that we can help the organizers to weed out potential flakers? maybe some kind of a feedback form that we could complete at the end of each swap, it could be pm'd to the organizers when we contact them to let them know we received...? thanks for listening --mellyp

It sounds like a good idea, but it may also be a pain in the tushie to implement. The other thing I can see also counting against such a system is it could be easy to abuse. I would like to think that no one would ever post a negative nasty just for spite, but I also would haveliked to think that flaking never happend, and we *know* it does.

Like I said a good idea I'm just not sure how it could be implemented without being unwieldy.

yeah, i can see where it could go wrong. maybe if it were limited to feedback regarding the perameters of the swap (no commenting on quality or skill) with specific questions to be answered regarding time frame and communication with partner. Or maybe if it were only used in times when the partner had to contact the organizers regarding problems - those people should be red flagged at that point already.

it's hard to figure out ways to restructure a project based on benevolence. i do think that we as participants should be allowed to submit feedback, i think that is the missing link in the feedback/profile process.thanks, mellyp

I think most of the time things go fairly smoothly and there isn't any real need for participants to give feedback. I think what you (or anyone else that has a reason to weigh in on feedback for a specific case) should do is PM the organizer and/or the swap mods.

thanks for your input nix kisses- i mentioned earlier that i did pm the organizers as soon as i had problems, and i continuted to keep them in the loop. even tho i communicated with the them the info wasn't acknowlede within her profile so the swapper went on to flake, which is when i found out her track record of doing this multiple times in the past. i submitted my idea as a queary to leah's swap survey - all we can do is try to give her ideas to help make the process smoother as we're the ones dealing directly with each other and we have the good gauge for what is working and what is not.-mellyp

I do worry about the quality and skill. I am currently crafting for my first swap and one of the items I made turned out.....well.....below my standards. So I my plan is to send it anyway with a note that says it didn't turn out the way I had hoped and I'm going to send something else too to make up for it. Luckily it wasn't the large item!

Now, maybe my partner will love it and won't even notice the goof, you know how that can happen, we are our own worst critics. But if not, I would hate to not be able to swap ever again because something I made turned out not as great as I thought it would. Especially when I acknowledged that fact that I messed up and made something extra to make up for it!

But I do agree that if someone is a chronic late sender or they have chronic problems then that should be noted on their feedback.

On the flip side, people should be able to note when someone does REALLY positive things. That way swap organizers can pair an over achiever with someone who had a previous partner flake. You know to help build back their faith in the swap process?

Perhaps a feedback survey form can be created that can be connected to a person's profile? The same format that is used to create a poll should work for this purpose too.

that might be a good solution to my concern about things getting utterly unwieldy. I wonder how much space per swapper it would take though to have the extra form attached (and that may become a concern) Maybe limit things to really good or really bad (chronic lateness, repetitive flaker that kind of "bad") to save space so there could be a longer list going back (rather than say, the last six swaps the last twenty or so. Makes it easy to see if things going goofy is just at one time [like the person signed up for a things then had a dear relative get sick/die or suddenly get transfered by work across country] or if it's a pretty consistent thing.)

the great thing about craftster is that there are all different levels and skills, that is part of what you sign up for when you agree to swaps. you can't fault anyone for trying and doing what they are able to do. i can't imagine any of us would want feedback dealing with that - it wouldn't be fair or even logical.

but back on topic - i think the idea that the feedback/survey form could be something that is attached to a profile, that's a great idea. less work for the organizer and easy to access.

thanks for your input nix kisses- i mentioned earlier that i did pm the organizers as soon as i had problems, and i continuted to keep them in the loop. even tho i communicated with the them the info wasn't acknowlede within her profile so the swapper went on to flake, which is when i found out her track record of doing this multiple times in the past.

-mellyp

right, I was just saying that if there's still concerns after the feedback is given then maybe one of the swap moderators should be contacted.

i am a swap participant who has felt a little ripped off by the apparent lack of effort on the part of my partner in the quality of their crafts. while i recognize that everyone has their own strengths and abilities, i do not commit to a swap unless i am sure i can produce a good quality product, and i put in time, effort and sometimes quite a bit of money into my swaps.

and it would be nice to recognize the swappers who put in that extra effort, which i really try to do on my own. maybe a 5-star rating system, similar to those used to rate sellers on ebay or books on amazon. the recipient would be able to *optionally* rate their partner to the organizers, to their partner's profile, or something like that.

this kind of system would help to "motivate" people who may be thinking of winging something off to try that extra bit, and maybe even weed out people who are potential flakers.